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Panthers News

2 Minutes For: Business As Usual

by
Staff Writer
/ Florida Panthers

Bill Torrey sat in a corner office Wednesday morning at BankAtlantic Center behind a desk filled with folders, stacks of paper, and, yes, resumes. Down the hall, assistant general manager Randy Sexton had just returned from the NHL’s General Manager’s meeting in Pittsburgh.

“This franchise won’t skip a beat during this period,” said Torrey, the team’s Alternative Governor and Hall of Famer chosen to lead the Panthers search for their next GM.

Just days after Jacques Martin resigned as GM to become head coach of the Canadiens, Torrey was busy returning calls and answering messages about the GM job and reading over resumes.

“We have in place some very good pieces,” Torrey said. “We have an outstanding young coach who wants to make this thing go in the worst way. We have a good scouting staff. We have in Randy Sexton an assistant general manager who knows this organization and knows what we have and is trying to get our signees in place. This franchise won’t skip a beat during this period. It’s not like I’m shouldering everything. There are good people here. We’re in synch, working well, and, hopefully, before too much longer identifying the best candidates there are (for GM) and making a selection.”

Torrey said he hopes within the week to have a list of potential GM candidates. He’ll then get that list down to between 6-to-10, meet with them face-to-face and then get down to the final three or four candidates before making a recommendation.

“I’ll make a recommendation on who I think are the best candidates and I’ll rate the top five or six candidates,” he added.

As far as whether there were any interesting resumes coming across his desk, Torrey said he received one from a former pizza maker. When asked if the person had a chance, Torrey said with a smile, “I want to see if the kid makes a good pizza.”

PENGUINS WIN MAKES COMEBACK POSSIBLE

It’s a series again.

The Penguins 4-2 victory Tuesday over the Red Wings was giant. Going down 3-0 to Detroit would have been too much to overcome. Think about it: Only one team – the 1942 Maple Leafs – hoisted the Stanley Cup after rallying from a 3-0 deficit.

The Penguins got big games from Max Talbot (two goals), Evgeni Malkin (three assists) and Sergei Gonchar (the game-winning goal), but goalie Marc-Andre Fleury played a big game and made several key stops.

The good news for the Red Wings? Pavel Datsyuk might return for Game 4.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Hey, we got away with it for how long? Twenty-one seconds? Good for us.” Matt Cooke of the Penguins on his team playing with an extra man during Game 3 and never getting penalized.

Congratulations to Dave Molinari of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, who will be honored by the Hockey Hall of Fame for his contributions for covering the sport. Molinari is a true professional, a true journalist, and a class act.

The Avalanche announced earlier today Greg Sherman is their new GM and coach Tony Granato has been fired.

The French Open claims another. Earlier today it was Serena Williams.

Magic guard Mickael Pietrus, who’s been wearing a pair of basketball shoes endorsed by Kobe Bryant, will ditch them for the Finals and go old school with a pair of Michael Jordan shoes.